Resistant Parasite? Help

[thegoldiehook]

Water parameters: 
0 nitrates 
0 nitrites 
300 hardness 
180 buffer
8.4 pH
0 chlorine 

I'm stumped with what is wrong with my fancy goldfish. My water is normal (very extreme, I know. Could that be the problem?). I've had these fish for 3+ years. There are 5 in a 125 gallon. 

I think I might be dealing with some resistant internal parasite. They seem to be hungry and then became uninterested after eating 1 or 2 pellets. They lay at the bottom of the tank and will slightly lean to one side. I have treated with prazipro (with 1 follow up treatment) and also tried paraclense (with 1 follow up treatment). Both seemed to help some and only mildly help the others. 

Am I missing something? Or should I try another product? I'm thinking about trying flubendazole. 

Edited June 26 by thegoldiehook

[Cory]

Do you have a picture of the tank? What food are you feeding and how long has it been open? Also what is the aquarium temperature? I think your water parameters are great for them. I'd say lets look at the whole picture and see if we can narrow it down.

[thegoldiehook]

Temperature is currently 72F

Currently feeding omega flakes that are a week old. I usually feed omega pellets but got the wrong kind. They seem to be eating better on the flakes right now. The bottle usually lasts 2 months before I need to open a new one. 

I also started giving them duckweed from an indoor pond thinking the issue may have been lack to greens in their diet. 

I forgot to add that they do have some mystery snails that were added to help with diatom algae. Those were added 3 months ago. 

Tank is bare bottom with a medium sponge filter, aquatop CF400UV canister and air stone. The whole set up is 2 years old. 

Edited June 26 by thegoldiehook

[Colu]

Any rapid breathing hanging out near the surface lethargy flashing spitting food out sunken belly white stringy poop these symptoms how often are you water changing and how much  do you use a water dechlorinator when doing water changes how often are you feeding @thegoldiehook

[thegoldiehook]

One fish will hangs at the top but doesn't have rapid breath. The others hang out at the bottom more that normal. Smallish feedings twice daily. No spitting out food. No flashing that Ive noticed. No white stringy poop. No sunk in bellies. Water change is 30-40% every 2 weeks. I typically don't use dechlorinator because it's such a small amount that it's unmeasurable after water changes. 

Edited June 26 by thegoldiehook

[Colu]

On 6/27/2024 at 12:27 AM, thegoldiehook said:

One fish will hangs at the top but doesn't have rapid breath. The others hang out at the bottom more that normal. Smallish feedings twice daily. No spitting out food. No flashing that Ive noticed. No white stringy poop. No sunk in bellies. Water change is 30-40% every 2 weeks. I typically don't use dechlorinator because it's such a small amount that it's unmeasurable after water changes. 

chlorine is toxic at very low levels if your water has any chlorine I would recommend adding a water dechlorinator as your not seeing any symptoms I mentioned a parasitic infection less likely I would add frozen or live  daphnia to there diet feeding a couple of times a week and repashy super gold that will help to prevent constipation that can be the cause of some of the symptoms your seeing I would add some live plants to there tank I have used water lettuce Anubis and fast growing plants such as wisteria and elodea with goldfish they will also help to reduce the algae as they complete for nutrients 

Edited July 3 by Colu

[thegoldiehook]

I don't believe constipation is the issue. I've been feeding them peas the past few days and they are acting the same. They are starting to breath at the surface a lot more however.

They are either at the surface trying to breath or laying at the bottom.

Edited July 2 by thegoldiehook

[Colu]

On 7/2/2024 at 1:01 AM, thegoldiehook said:

I don't believe constipation is the issue. I've been feeding them peas the past few days and they are acting the same. They are starting to breath at the surface a lot more however.

They are either at the surface trying to breath or laying at the bottom.

I still  think it could be diet related other than rapid breathing there displaying no symtoms of parasitic infection have you tried feeding any of the food I recommended 

[thegoldiehook]

On 7/3/2024 at 7:04 AM, Colu said:

I still  think it could be diet related other than rapid breathing there displaying no symtoms of parasitic infection have you tried feeding any of the food I recommended 

Yes, I am feeding them peas twice a day right now to help their gut. I'm also going to add some salt to the aquarium.

[Colu]

On 7/4/2024 at 6:07 PM, thegoldiehook said:

Yes, I am feeding them peas twice a day right now to help their gut. I'm also going to add some salt to the aquarium.

I would also get repashy super gold that was the main diet of comet goldfish along with  hikari saki gold pellets and frozen  daphnia and blood worms twice a week and I  use to add duck weed  he liked to eat for extra vegetable matter 

Edited July 4 by Colu

[thegoldiehook]

Just an update. I did end up giving them a dose of flubendizole about 2 weeks ago. But they seem to be doing much better with the salt and high greens and fiber diet that I started on 7/4. One fish (the oldest) still sits at the bottom at times but is definitely improving.